Real You Archives - Page 2 of 17

What It Really Means to Love “Like a Mother”

May 16, 2017May 16, 2017 Kate Chapman adoption, blended family, defining motherhood, foster care, motherhood0 comment

She stands in the kitchen looking at me. Her hair is stringy and needs to be brushed. She’s shifting from side to side uncomfortably, unsure of what I’m doing there or what to say. Her brother overdosed last night. Her mother is my good friend, and the swirling vortex of grief and community sucked me into her kitchen, stocking the refrigerator and tidying the counters because that feels like something when there’s nothing. “I don’t know how to make lasagna,” she says, glancing at the pan I’m sliding into the…

I Refuse to Send My Kids to the Same Sex Washroom Alone

May 2, 2017May 1, 2017 Joy Hedding public washrooms1 Comment

“Please. Boys over six years of age use the Men’s restroom. Thank you.” What are your thoughts on this? Posted by Mom Life – Keeping it Real on Saturday, 22 April 2017 This sign has been making the rounds on Facebook. And I have only one thing to say. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!?!?! Where’s the equally troubling, “Please. Girls over six years of age use the Women’s restroom. Thank you.” sign? I would not send my six-year-old child—of either gender—into a bathroom alone. Just no. Kids frequently need assistance in…

My Kids Take Melatonin: Don’t Judge Me

April 25, 2017April 24, 2017 Serendipity Indigo ADHD, living with ADHD, melatonin, sleep training0 comment

My children take melatonin. Every. Single. Night. We refer to their nightly doses as their “meds.” As in, “Are you ready to brush your teeth, or do you still need your meds?” Please know, I’ve consulted their pediatrician. What she disapproves of is calling a supplement “medication”. Otherwise, her only input is making sure we were giving each child an appropriate dosage based on age and weight. Ironically, perhaps, my husband and I were far too conservative in our dosage. When my son was little, we tried every method of sleep…

Do Real Women Make Good Cover Girls?

April 7, 2017April 7, 2017 Serendipity Indigo body positive, real women, real women in fashion0 comment

Have you heard about the latest dust up to rock the fashion industry? InStyle magazine had the temerity to put Amy Schumer—in a white swimsuit no less—on the cover of their beauty issue. And the kicker is…it’s a beautiful photo. The colors, the lighting, the makeup, the whole shebang, it’s stunning. In fact, they’ve released additional photos from the shoot, and in my opinion, those are also beautiful. “What’s good about not being a model is that it’s not the thing I trade on. Once I start looking older, that won’t affect me. I have…

There is No “Just” in Adoption

April 1, 2017March 31, 2017 Guest Contributor adoption, foreign adoption, foster care0 comment

Just. Just. It’s such a simple little four letter word. And yet it’s a word that can make a conversation come to a screeching halt. A word that can invoke feelings of inferiority and shame in its recipient. It’s the conversational equivalent of a drive-by shooting. We have all experienced a drive-by justing, and most of us have been hurt by it because the word ‘just’ is irritating and belittling to anyone facing any kind of problem… “Just try harder,” “Just change your perspective,” “Just get over it,” “Just ignore it,” “Just get…